Danganronpa X1 Xtras: Of Hope and Happiness
by elusiveEmperor
Summary: The non-canonical escapades of Hitomi Itou and all the participants of Danganronpa X1. Join the participants as they get to know one another, plot escape, and work together to make friends in this strange new world! (NOTE: Major Spoilers for Danganronpa X1: Despair from the Pages)
1. SPOILER WARNING

·

·

·

·

·

·

* * *

 _ **WELCOME TO THE DANGANRONPA X1 ADDITIONAL CONTENT FIC**_

 _If you have no idea what an "X1" is, then spoilers ahead. This is a bonus fanfiction for all the not necessarily canon additions to my current SYOC fanfiction entitled "Danganronpa X1: Despair from the Pages". I highly recommend you read that before continuing, unless you want to spoil who dies and what happens for yourself. Of course, I have no doubt that for some of you that you'd prefer to skip ahead a little, but I implore you to reconsider if you are not already up to date with Danganronpa X1: it may spoil more than simply the death order, but the overarching plot as a whole later on._

 _In the words of Monokuma, we wouldn't want to "ruin the main game in this side story" now, would we?_

* * *

·

·

·

·

·

·


	2. Student Profiles - 1

_**STUDENT PROFILES (#1)**_

* * *

 **HITOMI ITOU** _  
Philosopher – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: AB+  
Height: 171cm  
Build: Medium  
Birthday: 29th of May  
Eye Colour: Dark Brown  
Appearance: Light to fair skin-tone, with an oval shaped face. Dark brunette hair with a centre parted fringe hairstyle, which she will occasionally put in a bun. She seems like a genuine character, but her positive expression masks the despair that her situation has put her in.  
Outfit: Wears an outfit consisting of a typical Japanese school uniform, with a light navy and dark grey plaid overall skirt uniform that reaches her upper thighs. She also wears a white long sleeved dress shirt, and a bow with the same plaid colours as her skirt. She also wears a dark blue school cardigan over the top.  
Likes: Stargazing  
Dislikes: Spicy Foods

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Wait, something's amiss!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I can cut through that!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1. But... this is the protagonist, so make of that what you will._

* * *

 **HISOKA ARAI  
** _Art Scholar – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: B+  
Height: 174cm  
Build: Medium  
Birthday: 9th of December  
Eye Colour: Dark Brown  
Appearance: Tanned with Messy Blonde Hair, with a rounded face. He appears slightly baby-faced to some. His hair is generally immaculately styled to look rough, and he seems to always wear a well-meaning smirk upon his face.  
Outfit: Wears a tee with a denim over-shirt, along with a set of torn chinos. He also has a pair of brown skate shoes.  
Likes: Shoujo Manga  
Dislikes: Nightlife

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _You'll need more than that._  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Isn't there a little something you've forgotten about?_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **HOSHI NAKASHIMA** _  
Basketball Player – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: B+  
Height: 185cm  
Build: Athletic  
Birthday: 20th of March  
Eye Colour: Brown  
Appearance: A tall statured woman with flowing short blonde hair in addition to an extremely tanned complexion. Her constant expression emanates enthusiasm, and it seems she has the drive to push forward through whatever is thrown her way.  
Outfit: Wears a white t-shirt with Japanese kanji for fire on it, with blue jeans and black boots. She also wears back finger less gloves.  
Likes: Food  
Dislikes: Losing

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Is that all you're made of?_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _So what?_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **LEIKO IWAI  
** _Locksmith – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: A+  
Height: 152cm  
Build: Medium  
Birthday: 3rd of June  
Eye Colour: Dark Brown  
Appearance: A short girl with fair unblemished skin, and flowing brunette hair. She looks older than she is, but she acts much younger than she looks.  
Outfit: Wears a purple ball-gown with high heels, and has a set of lockpicks strapped to her thigh.  
Likes: Attention  
Dislikes: Pacifiers

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Suck on that!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Looks like I finally have something to contribute!  
_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **DAIGO YAMAMOTO  
** _Mining Magnate– Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: O- (Daigo is the only character with Rh negative)  
Height: 181cm  
Build: Slender  
Birthday: 1st of May  
Eye Colour: Verdant  
Appearance: Incredibly pale skin, with a long face in addition to dark and neatly styled hair. He rarely lets his emotions show upon his face, and constantly seems to have a raised nose.  
Outfit: Wears a pristine all-white suit with the notable exceptions of a black tie and a rose red boutonniere on his lapel. His otherwise impeccable suit has some traces of a stain on the right shoulder, but as it must be dry-cleaned, Daigo has been unable to remove it.  
Likes: Cheese Platters  
Dislikes: Tacky and Cheap Gifts

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _These are the inconsistencies you failed to address._  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I cannot allow such lofty logic to prevail over this court's better judgement!  
_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **NORIKO YANAI** _  
Journalist – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: AB+  
Height: 178cm  
Build: Skinny  
Birthday: 17th of August  
Eye Colour: Olive  
Appearance: Skinny and rather tall. She has straight, shoulder-length dark brown hair and long eyelashes. Her thin lips are coloured with a slight pink lipstick. She has a mole under her right eye.  
Outfit: Wears an unfastened, leather brown jacket with two pockets in the breast area over a horizontally striped blue and white tank top shirt. She also wears denim shorts, white flat heel shoes with a velcro, as well as knee-long black socks.  
Likes: Expensive Things  
Dislikes: Travelling

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Looks like someone needs to study up._  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Oh-ho hoah, let me enlighten you all!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **SORA SENDO** _  
Songwriter – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: B+  
Height: 175cm  
Build: Athletic  
Birthday: 28th of February  
Eye Colour: Emerald Green  
Appearance: Lightly tanned skin with short pink wavy hair, with messy bangs. He has a nose piercing and a gnarly and rather prominent scar stretching from the front to the back of his left hand.  
Outfit: Wears a crisp, white button-up shirt underneath a pastel blue, unbuttoned cardigan. He generally carries a silver pen in his shirt pocket. His pants have a light blue-white-dark blue plaid pattern, and the ends of them are slightly rolled up. His shoes are mint-green slip-ons.  
Likes: Faux Fur  
Dislikes: Clowns

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _There's no way you can say that!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I won't give up hope just yet!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **YAMATO KAGA** _  
Biomedical Engineer – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: A+  
Height: 176cm  
Build: Slightly Toned  
Birthday: 14th of March  
Eye Colour: Green  
Appearance: Has short curly jet black hair that is messy with the bangs covering his dark green eyes, with incredibly pale skin and dark bags underneath his eyes. Despite this, he appears to be in relatively good physical health.  
Outfit: Wears a baby blue polo shirt underneath a white lab coat that reaches his knees, with a pair of khaki jeans and a pair of white sneakers. He also wears a moss green fisherman hat, and a brown leather watch on his left arm.  
Likes: Jigsaw Puzzles  
Dislikes: Hospitals

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _That logic is far from sound!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I'm not about to stake my life on hearsay like that._

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._


	3. Student Profiles - 2

**_STUDENT PROFILES (#2)_**

* * *

 **HIROYUKI KAZETANI  
** _Soccer Player – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: O+  
Height: 183cm  
Build: Athletic  
Birthday: 13th of March  
Eye Colour: Blue?  
Appearance: A well-built with an approachable face and a certain charm to him, Hiroyuki is an approachable individual with light-brown splayed hair and devilishly good looks. There is a scar that stretches across his left thigh, but it appears to be recent.  
Outfit: Wears a Manchester United Jersey with light tracksuit shorts and sneakers, and has a red pendant around his neck. There also appears to be something protruding out of his pants near his right thigh, but he gets incredibly defensive when asked what it is.  
Likes: Cooking  
Dislikes: Balloons. Really hates Balloons. Don't even get him started on Balloons.

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Put a sock in it!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I'll shoot through your stupidity!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **KIYOSHI TACHIBANA  
** _Linguist – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: B+  
Height: 163cm  
Build: Small  
Birthday: 5th of December  
Eye Colour: Amber  
Appearance: Kiyoshi has bright orange hair which falls to her mid-back, bound in a simple braid. Her skin tone is alabaster, and she has round, upturned eyes. She is rather skinny in appearance.  
Outfit: Wears a cream sweater with a cowl neckline and short sleeves, along with a black shirt underneath. She also wears a teal ruffled miniskirt, black leggings, and brown knee high lace-up boots.  
Likes: Reading  
Dislikes: Being Alone

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Ciúnas! (Silence!)_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Lat ayh shal mausan paavh! (You are in my path!)_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **KENJI NAKASONE  
** _Boatswain – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: A+  
Height: 180cm  
Build: Skinny  
Birthday: 22nd of December  
Eye Colour: Silver  
Appearance: Kenji has short dark hair and somewhat tanned skin, both of which have been supposedly acquired from his time on the seas. He has boyish hands, and seems to have a certain air of refinement to him. His silver eyes shine with ambition; and a strong passion for all that he does.  
Outfit: Kenji wears a yacht captain's hat and a pendant round his neck, as well as a white shirt with naval epaulettes. He also wears long grey pants and dress shoes, which are a size too big for him. As a result, the bottoms of the pants have grown a little muddy.  
Likes: The Open Ocean  
Dislikes: Small Spaces

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _Deep waters hold many secrets!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _I will not fall prey to the siren's lull!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **IYONA HATSUKUNI  
** _Genealogist – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: A+  
Height: 173cm  
Build: Medium  
Birthday: 9th of February  
Eye Colour: Grey  
Appearance: Iyona has black wavy hair that ends at the back of her shoulders, and tends to wear sullen look on her face. She has slight bags under her eyes, and is tall with pale skin. Her arms and legs are somewhat skinny.  
Outfit: She wears a grey sweatshirt with a red skull with black hearts for eyes, and a baggy red T-shirt with a picture of 'Akihiro The Fallible'; an athletic samurai with rugged good looks. She also wears a black and red striped knee length frilled skirt and dark brown flats, and black-framed glasses. She is rarely seen without her red headphones around her neck, and carries her satchel with her most places.  
Likes: Video Games  
Dislikes: Genealogy

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _You're being a pain._  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Your opinions aren't always welcome._

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **SAMURU MORI  
** _Orator – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: O+  
Height: 162cm  
Build: Skinny  
Birthday: 9th of March  
Eye Colour: Sky Blue  
Appearance: Samuru has mid-length brown wavy hair, and narrow blue eyes that seem to have a certain judgement about them. He is thin, but has some limited muscle mass and is significantly stronger than he looks due to his upbringing. He also has a mole on his left shoulder, which is occasionally visible through the holes in his clothing.  
Outfit: Samuru wears a dark green jacket which is showing signs of age, in addition to ragged grey jeans, and a pair of brown shoes. He has a silver bracelet on his left wrist, and he appears to have a strong sentimental attachment to it.  
Likes: Strategy Games  
Dislikes: Clothing

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _It was obvious to me all along._  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Let me grant you a little common sense…_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **MAYU AMARI  
** _Dollmaker – Scholarship Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: AB+  
Height: 149cm  
Build: Petite  
Birthday: 14th of June  
Eye Colour: Light Brown  
Appearance: Mayu is a short and somewhat petite individual, with black hime cut hair reaching down to her back, with incredibly pale skin. She is incredibly short, but has an imposing and respectable air about her which makes up for her deficiency in the height department.  
Outfit: She wears a black thigh-length dress that flairs out like it's kept in place with a hoop, in addition to a matching black corset. She also wears a long-sleeved white shirt underneath. Both the dress and the corset are adorned with lace, and she has a pair of black leather gloves, black stockings and knee-high boots that are tied with bows.  
Likes: Orange Flavoured Tea  
Dislikes: White Chocolate

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _This line of interrogation is questionable, is it not?_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _Reason dictates otherwise._

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **GORO MAEDA** _  
Biathlonist – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: B+  
Height: 176cm  
Build: Skinny  
Birthday: 17th of May  
Eye Colour: Grey-Blue  
Appearance: Goro has green hair, and a rather long face with grey-blue eyes capable of staring someone down with ease. He has a wiry and lanky figure, and seems to have miniscule muscle-mass despite the rather physically demanding nature of his talent in Biathlon.  
Outfit: Goro wears a cream-white outfit, consisting of a polo shirt and tracksuit pants, along with a set of runners. He also has a matching cream broad-rimmed hat. The only part of his outfit that isn't completely cream are his socks, which are grey.  
Likes: The Outdoors  
Dislikes: Medication

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _I will not let you tread my path!_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _We should shoot for the truth, in the end._

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 **JITSUKO SAITO  
** _Deadlifter – Standard Tsubaki Student_

Blood Type: AB+  
Height: 190cm  
Build: Muscular  
Birthday: 30th of August  
Eye Colour: Dark Brown  
Appearance: Jitsuko is an incredibly burly figure with black hair and grey highlights. She generally has a warm expression, in spite of her muscular build. She has dark brown eyes, and often closes her eyes during conversation if she is thinking about something.  
Outfit: Jitsuko wears a grey lycra top with black lycra bottoms, branded on the breast pocket and the right hip respectively with the same sporting logo. She also has a pair of runners with holes near the toes, which she hasn't replaced because the size of her feet makes the cost too expensive to justify without fully wearing them out.  
Likes: Theme Parks  
Dislikes: Diet Programs

Trial Quotes:  
\- Trilateral Counter: _That's a hefty lie, isn't it?_  
\- Argument Rebuttal: _This is the weight we all carry!_

 _Note: Trial Quotes are not indicative of the survival of the character, and may not appear at all in the canon events of X1._

* * *

 _AUTHOR'S NOTE: Looks like you learn something new every day. As it turns out, Mayu is actually rather short: make of that what you will. Also, I'm pretty sure Jitsuko's the tallest of the group now. As for Hiroyuki, I wonder if we'll ever find out what he has against balloons?_

 _Anyway, quick update. I hate to delay you guys a little bit longer, but I might have to add another week onto the deadline for the next update. I'm sorry about that, but truth be told I have to get through the first few weeks of the uni semester, since they love to assign everything at both the start and the end of a semester for some unexplained reason. I'll be back before you know it, don't worry, but I'll just be a little slow on the next update._


	4. Free Time Events: Victim 1

_Standard Art Scholar_  
 _ **HISOKA ARAI**_

Hisoka is a descendant of the prestigious "Arai" family, known throughout the art world for their critical eye and ability to analyse and appraise. Despite the respect that this earns, Hisoka seems to have a mind of his own in terms of his destiny, although he appears to lament his own free-spirited nature. Hisoka is a born leader with immense potential, and possesses a calm demeanour which helps him to bring everyone together and aid all of his fellow students to cooperate together. His style of dress is often at odds with his character, with his delinquent Gyaruo style of torn chinos and denim shirts at odds with his otherwise responsible attitude and natural ability to lead.

·

·

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #1**_

* * *

"By the way Hisoka," I asked. "What was your life like outside of all this?"

"My life?" He replied. "I suppose you could say it was pretty typical of a kid like myself. Study hard, play hard, that sort of thing. There was nothing really remarkable about it, except for my family really."

"Your family?" I asked.

"Yeah, my family," he continued. "They were art scholars, as far back as you can cast your eye. In the later generations though, they also worked in appraisal. It's said the Arai family name connotes prestige and an eye for detail. Let's just say those are a few things I wish I inherited."

"I think you're doing pretty alright as you are," I replied. "I mean, you're leading everyone and acting as a model example. Isn't that what it's about in the end?"

"Heh, yeah," Hisoka chuffed. "I suppose it is after all."

"Don't you want to be who you want to be?" I asked him.

He sighed for a moment. "Well, I did," he said. "I'm beginning to doubt that myself nowadays."

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Don't we all have aspirations like that?"

"Yeah, but I think you can probably tell from what I'm wearing that I've got some real iffy dreams," Hisoka said. "I was a manga fan as a kid. Because of that, I always wanted to be a Male Host. The job looked so enticing, but reality is harsher than manga."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Well, maybe it's a story for another time," Hisoka said. "Point is, it wasn't all it was chirped up to be. I feel like a fool for the whole thing, so I'd rather not talk about it, but I realised something: the reason parents have expectations for their children is not to try and imprison them in an inescapable destiny that they wanted to pursue, it's to make sure their kids aren't imprisoned in a destiny they don't want to pursue."

"That really sucks," I replied.

"It could've been worse really," Hisoka said.

"Still though, you can't be dejected just on your first try," I responded. "Shouldn't you try harder to work toward that dream you want, hail or shine, and try to find that glimmer of hope?"

"Maybe," Hisoka said. "But I think hope's something you can find down any path in life if you learn to guide yourself. I think that's what maturity boils down to in the end."

"I suppose," I replied. "I just wish I knew what my own path was."

"At the end, it's whatever you damn well want it to be," Hisoka said. "We make our own paths in life, we don't have them dictated to us."

"Thanks Hisoka," I said.

"Not a problem," he replied. "You've been more help to me after all, may as well repay the favour with what little wisdom I can find in this bleach-blonde skull of mine."

Hisoka gave me a friendly smile. I feel like I discovered a little more about Hisoka today, and I think we grew a little closer.

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #2**_

* * *

"Hey Hisoka," I asked. "What was it like being a host?"

"A host?" Hisoka said. "I'll be honest, it wasn't all the fun and games it seemed like on television, that's for sure. Why do you ask?"

"You mentioned it last time," I said. "Being a host, and how it wasn't what you thought it'd be. What happened?"

"I guess… it's a long story," Hisoka said. "Truth was, I ran away from home two nights before we all ended up here."

"You ran away from home?" I replied.

"Yeah," Hisoka said. "I've always been pressured to go into being an Art Scholar, work as an Appraiser or a Connoisseur as is expected for the discerning eye of the Arais, but I never saw myself there. I took matters into my own hands."

"So, you left?" I said.

"Yeah, and I wish I never had," Hisoka added.

"Why?" I asked. "Didn't you get to pursue your dream for at least a night?"

"Yeah, I suppose I did," Hisoka said. "I got a position at a Host's Club in the Red Light District. It wasn't prostitution, but in honesty it was the next closest thing. I ran away, stole a hundred thousand yen to get a hotel room, all on my birthday. At the end of the day, I may lament doing it, but I don't regret it."

"Why don't you regret it?" I asked. "If it's really tearing you up inside this much, it seems like the natural reaction would be to regret it."

"I suppose… in any other situation I would," Hisoka said. "But this gives me the drive I need to survive, and to help everyone. I have to get back, not by making mistakes: but by fixing them."

"That was… really inspiring," I said. "Honestly, you're an amazing guy, Hisoka."

"Thanks, though you really give me too much credit," Hisoka said. "After all, you're calling a guy who dyes his hair blonde 'amazing'."

I laughed a little, and so did he. The tension in the air died down a little. Hisoka really had a way of wresting control of the atmosphere in conversation, and seemed to be the sort of individual capable of dispelling tension with minimal effort.

"Hisoka, don't sell yourself short," I said. "Without you, we wouldn't have a hope of getting out of here."

"I think you'd find a way," Hisoka said. "I don't believe in fate or predestination or any of that stuff, you know. There is one thing I believe in though: the conviction of people. If a man sets his mind to something, he's capable of rolling 1 in 100 odds 100 times straight. I'm sure you'd be able to get out of here: people are really capable of anything that they set their minds to in the end, it's both their greatest strength and their Achilles heel."

Hisoka looked at his hands, as if those words he had just spoken applied primarily to himself. He sighed a little. "Well, enough of my crap," Hisoka said. "I believe in all of you guys. It's impossible not to."

Hisoka gave me a thumbs up, and a wise yet giddily childish smile. I feel like I learned a bit about how Hisoka thinks today, and I believe we grew a little closer.

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #3**_

* * *

"Hey Hitomi," Hisoka asked. "Mind if I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said. "What's troubling you?"

"Hitomi, what do you think of the Gyaruo and all that?" Hisoka asked.

"Well, uh," I stammered. "Honestly, I'm not too sure. I never really hung out with any."

"Fair enough," Hisoka said. "Depending on what you watch, pop culture either idolises or hates them. There's no in-between, so it's nice to hear a refreshing viewpoint."

"Hisoka, now that you mention it," I said. "You mock your fashion sense a lot. Is there a reason for that?"

"Heh, well I suppose it's because it seems all so juvenile now," Hisoka stated. "You step into hell itself wearing a spray-tan and a denim jacket, and you'd feel pretty out of character as well."

"Somehow though, I get the feeling there's more to it than that," I pondered.

"Maybe there is," Hisoka said. "At the end of it all though, it doesn't really matter. We're all here, and I'm still wearing it; there's not much I can do now. I mean, this is what I ran away with after all, it's all I've got really."

"All you've got?" I inquired.

"Yeah, all I've got," Hisoka clarified. "I ran away from home on my birthday, remember? My parents had such big expectations of me to embrace their career and become an Art Appraiser, and so I ran away with a bunch of childish crap and my birthday money, and decided to become a Male Host. They would've been worried sick, you know? I left them a note on the bench and all, but I feel like shit about it now."

"We can't change the past," I said. "We can only hope it improves in the future."

"I know that," Hisoka sighed. "That's why I'm going to get us all out of here. I owe it to my parents, who sacrificed so much for me only to run to the hills, I owe them at the very least the proper goodbye they deserve. I was immature: I know that now."

"Hisoka…" I started.

"Yeah," Hisoka said. "I'm trying the best I can to get all of us home because of that. I'm probably not the only one who left with regrets and unfinished business, and I'm willing to bet each and every one of us has something or someone they have to get back to. So… that's what I'm trying to do for all of us."

"You really are amazing," I said. "Even if you left home on bad terms, you're fighting so hard for all of us to return. You really are an inspiration, Hisoka."

"Everyone wants to return home, and I know: I know that everyone here wants to believe in one another," Hisoka replied. "That's my duty. Since I screwed up out there, I've got to put in the hard yards and do a good job in here, you know?"

Hisoka really did impress me. He was a natural born leader, with a talent and an idea of what he wanted from life. Much different from myself, I suppose.

"Yeah," I replied. "I really wish I did have your faith."

"Don't worry about it," Hisoka said. "It's easy for a guy like me to give out faith after all, if you were dressed up in denim like me you'd probably have a lot more faith in others."

He chuckled to himself a little, and then we parted ways. I feel like I learned some more about Hisoka's past, and I think I got a little closer.

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #4**_

* * *

"Hisoka," I asked. "What happened on the night you ended up here by the way?"

"You mean, when I ran?" Hisoka asked.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "The night when you ran away, what really happened that made you give up on that dream?"

"It's… not as dreamy as you think it is," Hisoka said. "I was under the impression I'd be helping people, making them feel a little less troubled, acting as a waiter who really got to understand his customers. That's not what it was at all: I was childish to think it was. I should've just been true to myself rather than trying to be someone else"

"What did you end up doing?" I asked.

"Well, I was employed by a Host Club in Shibuya's Red-Light District, that much you know already," Hisoka said. "But I guess I never ended up telling you what happened there. Working as a host, you usually start at 12 or 1am, and your main clientele is hostesses. The Kyabakura Union usually exists to protect Hosts from being exploited, but I didn't know anything about the Kyabakura Union when I started, and that was what the Host Club I worked at was banking on."

"Banking on?" I asked.

"Yeah," Hisoka replied. "The Host Club I worked at wasn't a nice place; it was called Lotus Blossom, but there was nothing flowery about it. The manager was a real penny-pincher, who a lot of the staff complained about since he wouldn't refuse service to anyone. Since a lot of them were with the Kyabakura Union, he couldn't make them serve those customers who were rowdy: but he could make me do it. The only reason I wasn't starting off as a kyatchu looking for customers was because my manager could use me: it was the sad truth, but I guess I got what was coming to me."

"What was coming to you?" I said. "No one deserves that, why would you?"

"I brought it on myself," Hisoka said. "I ran away in pursuit of some childish dream, and got a dose of reality. I mean seriously, I left home with a G.I. Joe doll. You can't get much more childish than that."

"That's not true," I said. "You chased your dream, and it may have been painful, but now you know what to do next time. Shouldn't you believe that? Believe in yourself, Hisoka."

"Why?" Hisoka replied. "The guy you think is a natural leader is the same guy who ran away after a childish fight with his parents and decided he wanted to be the romantic equivalent of a stripper because he liked what he saw on television. I'm not worthy of whatever you think of me: I'm just a childish fuck-up. You know, I was forced to sit there for thirty minutes getting felt up by some drunk hostess who kept telling me how good my skin felt, and I couldn't do anything. That was what I really should've been dreaming about, because that's the truth of the host lifestyle."

"No, Hisoka," I said. "You may have run away, that dream may have fallen through. You've made mistakes, but I can assure you that you aren't one. You're the best thing to happen, for all of us here: you've really helped us all come together. Don't let yourself fall apart because of simple mistakes!"

Hisoka sighed. "You're right," he said. "At the end of the day, regret won't solve anything. Escaping with you guys though: I think that's the fix I need, the fix we all need. I can't change the past, but I can change my future."

He smiled a little.

"You know Hitomi, you may crack me up to be real amazing, but I think you're one hell of an amazing girl yourself," Hisoka said. "You seem to know exactly what a person's thinking, and exactly what to say to make them feel better. Someday, you'll make a hell of a leader: I can just see it from a mile away. I wish I'd met you before this, before I ran. Maybe it would've been for the better?"

Hisoka thought about things for a bit, and we sat in silence for a while: together. I feel like I now deeply understand Hisoka, and I think we became really close today.

* * *

 _ **HISOKA'S ABILITY – Worldly Awareness**_  
Significantly decreases the rate at which the Focus Gauge drains.

* * *

 _AUTHOR'S NOTES: Well, I understand you guys were looking forward to Daigo's Free Time Events, so here it is: Hisoka's Free Time Events!_

 _No, but in all seriousness I'm sorry about the delay. I'm trying to compress Daigo's final free time just a little, just to keep within the constraints. I wanted their to be 4 free time events with 500 to 600 words for each, since all the V3 Free Times are 400 to 500 words and I feel like I can do more justice to the characters by skimping on one free time event and making them much longer. However, Daigo's final free time event is currently standing at... 1000 words. I'm struggling to compress it, and I don't want to release a free time event that long since the expectation's probably going to be on me to do it again later on with the other characters. I'm going to release Daigo's events consecutively with the beginning of Chapter 2, so you've got double the fun to return to!_

 _That being said: yes, this will be where most of the dead characters free time stuff goes. I debated including it as a part of the post-chapter wrap-up, but since we've already got Monoloser Theatre and the Death Screen, I thought that was already full enough. A few of the profiles are going to be coming soon. I've just got to get some extra info from some of the people who submitted characters so that I can post them up, including their date of birth, blood type, and height. I'm not doing chest size: I can't be bothered and it contributes to nothing except Leiko's jokes._

 _Still, I'm looking for a cover image now for the free time events. I don't think I can just do the Team Danganronpa Logo again, so for now I'll just leave it blank._


	5. Free Time Events: Culprit 1

_Ultimate Mining Magnate_  
 _ **DAIGO YAMAMOTO**_

Daigo is the head of the Yamamoto Mining Group, and an incredibly talented manager with a near perfect ability to manage funds. Due to the death of both of his guardians, he has had to manage the family enterprise, a task which he has done tremendously well in. He is an incredibly verbose individual, who never seems to use slang and rarely uses contractions of any kind, lending to his business-oriented personality. Daigo appears mild-mannered and seems to take a great degree of contemplation to everything he does, but often his manner of speech can confuse other students his age.

·

·

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #1**_

* * *

"Daigo, do you mind if I ask you some stuff?" I asked.

"Hitomi, was it?" Daigo said. "I do not object to that. Feel free to inquire."

"How did you become head of such a large corporation?" I inquired.

"Succession," Daigo answered with a one-word reply.

"Succession?" I replied. "Wait, wouldn't that mean…"

"Yes," Daigo replied. "Unfortunately both of my guardians have passed. Since my mother's company fell to her next of kin through her will upon her untimely demise, I was thrust into the position. I however have been working tirelessly to become worthy to manage such a grand empire, and have expanded it to thrice the size it would have been otherwise."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but you're honestly amazing," I said. "To grow a business to three times its size is… truly something worthy of ultimate status."

"It is an acceptable springboard, but there remains room for improvement yet," Daigo said. "My parents did not leave me in charge over the company to watch it fall nor stagnate: they did so to watch it flourish, and flourish is what I shall make it do."

"So, you intend to dedicate yourself to that legacy?" I said. "You really do know what you want to do…"

"Perhaps there is an element within all of us… which is wholly aware of the heart's yearnings," Daigo said. "Alas, I have yet to find true direction beyond that which has been bestowed on me. The pursuit that is life leaves many divergent paths, from which only one can be trodden. It is… awfully restrictive, is it not?"

"Geez, you sound like more of a philosopher than I do," I replied. "But yeah, I suppose we're all just kids stumbling down diverging roads? We don't really look forward that much, we just pick a path on a whim and let it guide our life. Is that any way to live?"

"I suppose some of us are forced to live that way," Daigo said.

"I don't think it really matters what we choose at this point in our lives anyway," I said. "In this place, I'm not sure if choice means anything anymore."

Daigo looked down at the floor. He seemed troubled by something, there was obviously something that had struck a chord within him, despite being unable to put it into words.

"Is something wrong, Daigo?" I asked.

"No, it is of limited importance," Daigo said. "That phrase you uttered though, it resonated with me. It reminded me of something."

"Of what?" I asked. "Was it to do with your life outside of here?"

"A little," Daigo said. "I simply recalled a moment in time before all this. I am sorry if I concerned you, I have a habit of losing myself within the confines of my mind. It can become rather irritating for those attempting to discuss important matters with me. I apologise."

"There's no need to apologise," I said. "We've all got a lot on our minds, Daigo. Take as much time as you need."

"Well, should you insist," Daigo said. "I believe it would be most enjoyable to sit, with a pleasant and aromatic blend of herbal tea, and mull over that which troubles us. It would be beneficial to both of us, would it not?"

"I can't deny that," I said. I grabbed a tea set, and failed miserably in straining the tea leaves properly. Daigo intervened, but as it turns out the teapot I had used was particularly irksome. The pair of us tried to operate the pot for a while. I feel like I discovered a little about Daigo, and I think I grew a little closer with him.

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #2**_

* * *

"Hitomi," Daigo asked. "If it is not too much to ask, do you mind if I speak with you for a moment?"

"What is it?" I responded.

"It regards something that you have said previously, that in a circumstance such as this, people are deprived of choice, and that here our decisions bear no significance," Daigo said.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," I said. "That's just what I felt this has been doing to us."

"It did not concern me," Daigo said. "In fact, it is the very fact that I am not concerned by it which I find to be the most unnerving factor."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Well, in all honesty, I do not believe that any of my choices have been particularly significant," Daigo said.

"Really? Why?" I asked.

Daigo was about to start speaking, but then he stopped himself. Perhaps he didn't feel up to talking about it just yet. "I am not entirely sure I feel comfortable discussing such a matter, sorry," Daigo said. "Maybe I shall ask you about it next time."

"If you need to come to anybody, feel free to come to me," I said. "I'm always happy to lend a hand if you need it!"

"Thank you Hitomi, you are quite an honest individual," Daigo said.

"No problem," I said. I hesitated for a second as I thought of a follow up question. "So, do you have any siblings, Daigo?"

"I have a brother," Daigo said. "He is the first-born son, and the natural successor to the Yamamoto name, but… circumstances have conspired against him."

"Circumstances?" I asked. "What happened?"

"He is... mentally unsound, and for that reason incapable of succeeding the company," Daigo said. "That is why I ended up working in his stead as the company head. With Trisomy 21, he was incapable of living without constant assistance, and for that reason he was overlooked in the line of succession."

"Trisomy 21?" I asked.

"Sorry, I believe that is the scientific term for it," Daigo said. "More commonly, it is referred to as 'Down Syndrome'. Though it is a destructive medical condition, in some ways I am slightly envious of him for it."

"Why would you be envious of it?" I asked.

"Whenever I see him, he always seems so happy," Daigo said. "He may have the brain of a nine-year-old, but because of that he sees the joy in everything he does. He lacks the pressure of expectation or legacy, he simply possesses the blissful curiosity and giddiness of someone free of the world's burdens. Sometimes, I wonder if that is not a better way to live."

"Do you think it is?" I asked.

"I am afraid I am unable to say," Daigo said. "Either way, I was always destined to inherit the mantle of the Yamamoto Group due to my brother's deficiency. I must uphold it for all their sakes."

"But what about your own sake?" I asked.

Daigo fell silent. Perhaps I had struck a nerve with that remark, and so I too said nothing. After a moment of hesitation, Daigo turned and stared into my eyes.

"It was… most stimulating to talk with you, Hitomi," Daigo said. "Thank you."

Something told me that there was more on his mind than he really felt comfortable vocalising. Some topic that he could not disclose was perhaps eating him up inside, but who could really say what it was if he could not say it himself?

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #3**_

* * *

"Hitomi, do you have any siblings?" Daigo asked.

"No, I'm an only child," I said. "Why do you ask?"

"You know, I used to think that my life would be made vastly for the better with the absence of my brother," Daigo said. "As a child, I always found it impossible to conclude whether or not our relationship was a familial one, or that we shared any hereditary traits. That was, at least, until our parents died. With the two of us being shipped off to the house of our only living relatives, and with I inheriting the family company, it was up to me to ensure their image was maintained."

"Wait, up to you?" I asked. "How old were you?"

"I was scarcely a teenager," Daigo replied. "Yet I was equipped with both the conviction and the skills I required to fulfil my role."

"Daigo, I know you're an amazing kid," I said. "But… putting a kid in that position, doesn't it seem harsh?"

"Perhaps, but I had the reassurance of my grandparents to keep myself afloat," Daigo said. "Although I suppose the same cannot be said for my brother."

"Wait, what did they do to your brother?" I asked.

"They cared for him for a while, but they believed little in the merits of disability equality," Daigo said. "After a while, their care began to wane, and so too did their affections for him. In addition to managing a company, I had to also manage their increasingly strained relationship. It worked for a time, but as the days passed my grandmother's animosity grew. That was when the matter reached its precipice. I was already feeling strained at that point from the burden of managing the Yamamoto group and the apparent powerlessness that the position entailed, and so when I returned home and discovered that my brother was gone, I was infuriated."

"He was gone?" I asked. "Where to?"

"They had dropped him into a disabled care facility," Daigo replied. "Without so much as consulting me on the matter, my grandmother had made the executive decision to rid herself of the burden of a child she simply did not wish to take care of. That was when I finally realised how the pair of us were at the mercy of adults. I, running one of the most powerful corporations in the world, was still domineered over by my direct inferiors. It seems that I, alongside my brother, fell victim to conditions that we could not control, and were placed entirely at the mercy of of others. We shared something after all, something that all our family possessed."

"What was it?" I asked.

"Powerlessness," Daigo said. "Each Yamamoto before us tried to patch over that wound with money, but even when above the world with the wealth to control legions, each of them grappled with the fact that their wealth did little to mend their troubled hearts. Their empire was both the problem and the solution to them. Expanding that already ballooning empire further, reaching for the stars with their wealth. They could dine with the prime minister, they had the president of the most powerful military on the earth on speed-dial, and yet… they could still do nothing. That was really when I began to appreciate my brother's disability: because he had escaped from it all. If our parents were still alive, maybe… maybe at least he could have been happy."

Daigo sat down. I couldn't think of anything further to say, but something compelled me to remain. We sat there for a while, and though he tried to hide it, I was sure I could hear suppressed sobs echoing from him.

* * *

 _ **FREE TIME EVENT #4**_

* * *

"Hitomi, may I confide in you?" Daigo asked.

"Huh?" I asked. "What's the matter?"

"Well, you have been awful caring and good at listening," Daigo said. "I am not quite sure this is a matter which should be disclosed, but it has been gnawing at my heart since I entered this… this unreasonable ordeal, and I think I… I need to get it off my chest."

"Whatever it is, I promise I'll try to help," I said.

"Well, I have mentioned previously that my brother is afflicted with Trisomy 21, and this caused my grandparents to have him essentially institutionalised," Daigo said. "But... that is not the whole truth of the matter."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I... broke the law to set him free," Daigo said.

"Wait, what happened?" I asked. "Why did you break the law?"

"My brother was in a Disabled Care Facility, which required a payout in order to terminate his contract," Daigo said. "A lot of my wealth is tied up to my grandparents' names, so it was impossible to retrieve the funds. As a minor, my accounts were linked to my guardian: however, there was one responsibility I had that would potentially allow me to retrieve the severance money and enough to pay for my brother's care with a dedicated professional, so he would be able to live safely outside the limited confines of a birdcage."

"What road was that?" I asked.

"...Embezzlement," Daigo said.

He bowed his head slightly with a sullen expression upon his face. That expression said it all. Within it, the anguish of the otherwise stoic business professional was made clear, the untold suffering painted over by countless millions.

"As we were at the time a public company, it was significantly more precarious to perform, but I guess I have a natural knack for managing money after all. My wealth, at that point, was as much burdening as it was liberating. It allowed me the freedom to attend countless prestigious events and to do with it what I pleased, but the more I earned, the more I was shackled to that empire of someone else's creation which had come to define my very character. That's why I was jealous of my brother, but beneath all that, I felt something else. He had escaped the destiny that had ensnared all our families, I felt… proud of him."

"Then is it really a crime?" I asked.

"Of course," Daigo said. "Embezzlement of company funds is a punishable offense, and can land you upwards of ten years imprisonment. If my secret was to become known, my brother's wealth would be reclaimed by the Yamamoto Mining Group. He would die out there."

"I didn't mean in that sense of the word," I replied, then giggled a little. "No, I meant that if it was to help someone in need, can you really say it was the wrong choice? A company doesn't breathe, a company doesn't love, a company doesn't feel happy: but your brother does. Can you really say it was wrong to prioritise your brother first?"

"Perhaps," Daigo replied. "You know, Hitomi, maybe if we had met before all of this: maybe you could have helped me through all of these issues I forced myself to grapple with alone in the outside world. Maybe we could have helped each other out there."

"We still can," Hitomi said. "We can meet outside, when we win against this place – working together. Isn't that right?"

Daigo wiped a tear from his eye, and smiled.

"You certainly have a way with words," Daigo said. "But… you are right, Hitomi. At the end of it all, we still have a chance. There is still hope. We can work together: there is a fault in this place somewhere. Just as all of us are imperfect… so too is this prison."

I sat with Daigo for a while. We talked on and on, and we rambled about various topics. Beneath that stoicism was an emotive young boy taught to suppress his character, a boy taught to litigate rather than to live: but Daigo had never stopped being that other person. I felt a deeper connection with Daigo, as we had come to foster an understanding between the pair of us: I guess, in a way, he was envious of me too. I wasn't sure what I wanted to make of my life yet, and in a way – I was free to become anything because of it.

* * *

 _ **DAIGO'S ABILITY – Financier**_  
Increases the amount of Monocoins earned.

* * *

 _AUTHOR'S NOTE: You don't need two lectures from me, do you? Anyway, truth is Daigo is a much more complex character than I made him out to be in the story, and I guess you guys wanted a real explanation as to what the secret was that he was trying to protect in Chapter 1. I hope this does his character justice, but he's one of the characters I really wish I had let grow throughout the story. Oh well, I guess that's the truth of Danganronpa - taking good characters before their time since 2010. In the end, I wasn't able to shorten the final free time by very much, but I guess that doesn't matter all that much._


End file.
